Planoopapii co



G. MIE/IR. clsTERN, APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3.1918.

1 ,3 1 2,738. Y Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

THE CDLUMBM PMNDGRAPII co.. WASHING'TUN. D. C,

G. M. LEAR.

CISTERN.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3.1918.

1 ,3 1 2,73 8 Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

GEORGE MOORE L-EAR, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

CISTERN'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug..12, 1919.

Application filed December 3, 1918. Serial No. 265,151.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. LEAR, a

citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Cistern, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of this invention to provide novel means whereby rain water may be collected from a roof, the construction being such that the roof will lirst be washed clean, the dirty water resulting from the washing of the roof being diverted away from a storage cistern, the clean `water discharged from the roof, after the roof has been washed, being directed into the cistern.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in vertical section, a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a tank 1 supported on a frame 2 and including an inclined bottom 3 having a central opening or seat 4:. The numeral 5 marks the gutter of a building, and from the gutter, a pipe 6 leads to the tankv 1. A trough 7 or the like is disposed in the tank 1 and is hingedly connected at 8 with the tank, the pipe 6 being adapted to discharge into the trough. rIhe trough 7 carries a float 9. The numeral 10 denotes a'cistern mounted on a foundation 11. A pipe 12 leads from the tank 1 to the cistern 10, the free end of the swinging trough 7 being adapted to cooperate with the inner end of the pipe 12 when the trough is raised by the action of the ioat 9. An overiow pipe 14C leads from tank 1 and has a branch 15 opening into the cistern 10. The pipe 14 and consequently the pi e 15 discharge into a receptacle 16 secure to one end of a lever 17 fulcrumed intermediate its ends as shown at 18 on a bracket 19 carried by the frame 2. The upper end of the receptacle 16 is partiallyv closed by a screen 24 which prevents persons from dropping rocks or other waste into the' receptacle 16 through maliciousness or ignorance.

The numeral 2O denotes a waste pipe into which the opening or seat 4 in the tank 1 discharges. The inner end of the lever 17 extends into the waste pipe and an adjust-- able weight 23 is attached to the inner end of the lever, the weight beingA located kin the waste pipe. The waste pipe has a screen 27, and there may be a packed door 28 in the waste pipe. The door 28 gives access to the interior of the waste pipe 20 so that the screen 27 may be cleaned and to the end that the weight 23 may be adjusted. A stem 25 is pivoted to the inner end of the lever 17 within the waste pipe 20 and carries a valve 26 adapted to coperate with the seat 4L of the tank 1. The receptacle 16 is provided with a minute bleed port 21, which, if desired, may be in the form of a flexible tube discharging 'into the waste 20. The tank 1 is provided with a minute bleed port 22, which may be in the form of a pipe leading to the waste pipe .20. 1

Let it be supposed that the parts are arranged 'as shown in Fig. 1. Then, the water discharged on the roof is received by the gutter 5 and carried through the pipe 6 into the trough 7 the water being discharged into the tank 1. This operation continues for a co-nsiderable period of time, until the roof is thoroughly washed, the valve 26 beingI held closed on they seat 1 by the weight 23, the moment of which is greater than the moment of the empty receptacle 16. The water accumulates in the tank 1 and, ultimately, the float 9 is raised, swinging the trough 7 upwardly until the inner end of the trough coperates with the inner end of the pipe 12. Then water from the relatively clean roof will pass by way of the gutter 5, the pipe 6, the tro-ugh 7 and the pipe 12 into the cistern 10. When a sufficient quantity of water has accumulated in the cistern, the overflow will pass by way of the pipe 15 and the pipe 14 into the receptacle 16` giving an added weight to the receptacle, whereupon the receptacle -will tilt thel lever 17, overcoming the action of the weight23, and raising the valve 26.' The dirty water lin the tank 1 will then liow away through the seat 4; into the waste pipe 20. The waterin the receptacle 16 flows away very slowly through the bleed pipe 21 into the waste pipe 2() until-the receptacle 16 is empty, whereupon the lever will tilt, under the action of the weight 23, and restore the valve 26 to a closed position, the tank 1 thus being prepared for another operation after the next succeeding storm.

It has been pointed out that the tank 1 has a minute bleed port 22. This port permits small quantities of water, accumulating in the tank 1 during a storm, to leak away into the waste pipe 20.

The overflow pipe 14 prevents dirty water in the tank 1 from rising and flowing through the pipe 12 into the cistern 10. The dirty water in the tank 1 may rise to an undue height from many causes, in practical operation. rIhus, the hinged mounting 8 of the tro-ugh 7 may work somewhat sluggishly, due to rust or otherwise, a prompt closure of the inner end of the trough 7 against the inner end of the pipe 12 failing to take place: or, after a considerable period of time, the joint between the inner end of the pipe 12 and the vtrough 7 may not remain absolutely watertight. For these and many other reasons, the overflow pipe from the pipe 1 has a useful function in preventing dirty water from rising in the tank 1 and passing into the cistern 10 by the pipe 12and it is to be observed that the water discharged through the overflow pipe 14 is received in the receptacle 16, the valve 26, consequently, being opened to empty the tank 1.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a tank; a cistern; a conduit leading from the tank to the cistern; a supply conduit leading to the tank; a movable member adapted to bridge the space between the conduits; a lloat connected with said member and responsive to changes of level in the tank; a valve controlling the outflow from the tank; mechanism for operating the valve, including a receptacle; and an overflow leading from the cistern and discharging into the receptacle.

2. In a device of the class described; a cistern; a tank; a conduit leading Jfrom the tank to the cistern; a supply conduit leading to the tank; a movable member adapted to bridge the space between the conduits; a float connected with said member and responsive to changes of level in the tank; a valve controlling the outflow from the tank; mechanism for operating the valve, including a receptacle; and an overflow leading from the tank and discharging into the receptacle.

3. In a device of the class described, a

4. In a device of the class described, al

tank; a cistern; a conduit leading from the tank to the cistern; a supply conduit leading to the tank; a movable member adapted to bridge the space between the conduits; a float connected with said member and responsive to changes of level in the tank; a valve controlling the outflow from the tank; mechanism for operating the valve; including a receptacle provided with a bleed port; and a waste pipe into which the bleed port discharges, the waste pi Je being positioned to receive the contents o the tank when the valve is operated.

5. In a device of the class described, cooperating members including a tank and a cistern; a conduit leading from the tank to the cistern; a supply conduit leading to the tank; a movable member adapted to bridge the space between the conduits; a float connected with said member and responsive to changes of level in the tank; a valve controlling the outflow from the tank; mechanism for operating the valve, including a receptacle having a minute bleed port; and an overflow leading from one of said coperating members and discharging into the receptacle. A

6. In adevice of the class described, a tank; a cistern; a conduit leading from the tank to the cistern; a supply conduit leading to the tank; a movable. member adapted to bridge the space between the conduits; a float controlling said member and responsive to changes of level in the tank; a valve controlling the outflow from the tank; mechanism for operating the valve, including a receptacle; an overflow pipe discharging into the receptacle, the overflow pipe having branches leading to the tank and to the cistern; a waste pipe whereinto the tank discharges when the valve is open, the receptacle and the tank having minute bleed ports discharging into the waste pipe.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afhxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE Moons LEAR.

Witnesses E. J. CHAMPAGNE, JNO. V.DILLARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commssioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

